Each
year the soldiers of the Third United States Infantry
Regiment ("The Old Guard") take part in the ceremony called "Flags
In." Just before Memorial Day, each grave in Arlington National Cemetery
is decorated with a small American flag.

The
flags remain in place until the conclusion of the Memorial Day Weekend
when they are all removed. It is the only time during the year when
American flags are permitted at all gravesites in the Cemetery. The
"Flags In" detail took place this year on Thursday, 27 May 2004.

A
soldier places flags on graves at Arlington National Cemetery May 27, 2004.Some
290,000 flags are placed in front of graves to honor fallen soldiers who
will be rememberedon
Memorial Day, May 31, 2004.

Soldiers
of the Old Guard carry flags to place on graves at Arlington National Cemetery
May 27, 2004.Some
290,000 flags are placed in front of graves to honor fallen soldiers who
will be remembered onMemorial
Day May 31, 2004.

A
soldier adjusts a flag after placing it on a grave at Arlington National
CemeteryMay
27, 2004. Some 290,000 flags are placed in front of graves to honor fallen
soldierswho
will be remembered on Memorial Day, May 31, 2004.

A
soldier places flags on graves at Arlington National Cemetery May 27, 2004.
Some 290,000flags
are placed in front of graves to honor fallen soldiers who will be remembered
on Memorial Day May 31, 2004.

A
soldier prepares to place a flag on a grave at Arlington National Cemetery
May 27, 2004.Some
290,000 flags are placed in front of graves to honor fallen soldiers who
will be remembered onMemorial
Day May 31, 2004.

A
soldier places flags on graves at Arlington National Cemetery May 27, 2004.Some
290,000 flags are placed in front of graves to honor fallen soldiers who
willbe
remembered on Memorial Day, May 31, 2004..

A
U.S. Marine detachment from Annapolis, Maryland assists the 3rd Infantry
Old Guard inplacing
some 290,000 flags at each headstone in preparation for Memorial Day 27
May, 2004at
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Old
Guard soldiers place flags in front of every headstones at Arlington National
Cemetery,Thursday,
May 27, 2004 in preparation of Memorial Day. Troops in each arm of the
Armed Forceswill
place more than 290,000 flags at every grave marker in Arlington National
Cemetery to honor fallen soldiers.

Old
Guard soldier Specialist Armando Zapata of San Diego, right, and Boy Scout
Michael Kiko, ofArlington,
Virginia, help place flags in front of every headstone at Arlington National
Cemetery,Thursday,
May 27, 2004 in preparation of Memorial Day. Troops in each arm of the
Armed Forceswill
place more than 290,000 flags at every grave marker in Arlington National
Cemetery to honor fallen soldiers.

Old
Guard soldier Wesley Wilk, of Dallas, Texas, places flags in front of the
headstones atArlington
National Cemetery, Thursday, May 27, 2004 in preparation of Memorial Day.Troops
in each arm of the Armed Forces will place more than 290,000 flags at every
gravemarker
in Arlington National Cemetery to honor fallen soldiers.

An
Old Guard soldier pauses while placing flags in front of every headstone
atArlington
National Cemetery, Thursday, May 27, 2004 in preparation of Memorial Day.Troops
in each arm of the Armed Forces will place more than 290,000 flags at every
gravemarker
in Arlington National Cemetery to honor fallen soldiers.

A floral tribute and U.S. flags lay among the thousands of headstones
of U.S. servicemen buried at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington
DC, May 30, 2004. Memorial Day, May 31, is a day of remembrance for those
who have died in the nation's military service, and this year's holiday
coincides with the dedication of a World War II memorial that has drawn
hundreds of thousands of veterans for what is likely the last major gathering
of U.S. soldiers from that conflict.

A
squirrel leaps between the headstones of U.S. servicemen buried at ArlingtonNational
Cemetery May 30, 2004 on the Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day, May 31,
2004.

All
Photos Courtesy of the Reuters News Service And The Associated Press